Nokia has chosen Cohn & Wolfe as its global PR agency, with a brief to help it regain leadership of the mobile phone market.

SAP, the business software giant, has hired Victoria Clarke as head of corporate affairs. The move follows the merger of its global comms and marketing departments.

The US State Department has awarded PT Ganesha Aggies Jaya a contract worth just under US$3m (£1.95m) for comms support for the @america public outreach centre in Jakarta. The firm will provide public affairs and PR support, as well as diplomacy programming.

Energtek, the energy services supplier, has called in Edelman affiliate Wolf Communications to handle PR in Israel.

Pret A Manger, the UK-based fast-food outlet, has appointed Sharp Communications as its first PR agency in the US as the firm expands its business in the country.

Grayling has launched a cyber security group in the US to help clients prepare for, respond to and recover from data breaches, as well as managing regulatory requirements. Grayling's Cybersecurity Consulting and Advisory Services will have a staff of 20.

Lockheed Martin has hired former APCO Worldwide executive Gordon Johndroe as vice-president of media relations and international comms.

Edelman has acquired South Africa-based comms consultancy Baird's Renaissance, which has been an Edelman affiliate for more than 20 years. The deal, which is expected to be finalised next month, is subject to regulatory clearance.

Porter Novelli has hired Mary Smiddy as its new head of health and wellness in the UK. Smiddy joins from a senior vice-president role at Weber Shandwick Australia, which she had held since 2008 after two years as GSK's regional director of comms for the Middle East and North Africa.

FleishmanHillard has brought in Robert Hanvik and Alison Wright as directors in its healthcare team, following a doubling of its health clients in the past two years. They will report to head of healthcare for the London office Daniel Kent and global healthcare MD Anne de Schweinitz.

The World Health Organization has said that outbreaks of measles are putting the UK's plans to eliminate the disease by 2015 under threat. It said catch-up vaccination campaigns were needed across Europe.

Hume Brophy, the international public affairs and PR agency, has set up a dedicated UK healthcare team. Agency co-founder John Hume is heading the new division.

The public sector week

The Madano Partnership has won a contract to provide support to the European Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI) at Aston University in Birmingham.

Financed by the European Regional Development Fund, EBRI is developing a centre focusing on bioenergy with the aim of supporting regional businesses. PRWeek revealed the pitch last year (9 October 2012).

VisitEngland has teamed up with Aardman Animations to launch the second Holidays at Home are GREAT campaign, Great Adventure. The £4m campaign, supported by the tourist boards of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, is designed to boost domestic tourism.

The Local Government Association is considering taking legal action over the Government's plans to make the Publicity Code law. It is understood the focus of any legal action, if taken, would be the timing of the consultation on the proposals during the local elections. The code includes limiting the frequency of council newspapers.

The week in the City

The Association for Financial Markets in Europe has appointed Deborah Botwood Smith as interim director of external relations. She replaces Andrew Gowers, who joined Trafigura in April. Botwood Smith was previously global head of corporate comms at asset manager Investcorp.

Keolis, the European public transport group, has called in Citypress to handle its UK PR. Keolis, majority-owned by French state rail operator SNCF, operates four rail franchises under joint venture agreements in the UK, including Southeastern, which covers the domestic High Speed 1 rail link from Kent to London, London Midland and TransPennine Express.

Moore Stephens, the international consultancy network, has hired Broadgate Mainland to support its PR activities following a competitive pitch. The agency will look to develop and execute a PR campaign to promote the firm's expertise in the financial services and insurance communities.

Towergate, the UK's largest independent insurance intermediary, has brought in FTI Consulting to handle its corporate comms.

Yellow Jersey PR has hired Jon Hopkins, the former markets editor of AFX News and UK reporter at Thomson Reuters, as a consultant.

The week in lobbying

The PRCA is consulting with its Public Affairs Group on revamping its Public Affairs Code of Conduct to incorporate the definition of lobbying it put forward with the CIPR and APPC for the proposed statutory register of lobbyists. The PRCA code already applies to its in-house members but it is looking to tighten the wording and require all members to sign the code annually.

Bell Pottinger Public Affairs has started working for FTSE 100 company Aberdeen Asset Management. Aberdeen's relationships with its UK public affairs and PR agencies Cicero and Maitland are unaffected by the appointment.

Insight Public Affairs has created a website called David Cameron's Dashboard, based on the iPad app created for the PM by the Cabinet Office's digital team. It tracks the progress made on the 400 pledges in the Coalition Agreement, charts economic performance against a timeline of Government growth initiatives and provides a guide to the factions within the Conservative Party.

Fishburn Hedges associate director Laura Wyld has been appointed as head of appointments at Number 10 Downing Street. The civil service role involves advising the Prime Minister, and being his representative, on public appointments.